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Sunday, June 1, 2014

Ascension Thursday & The Little Oratory

Our icon corner is in our main room. Most of the icons were painted by people we know in Romania. The beautiful dyptych was created by my brother-in-law. It rests on the music cabinet of my grandmother's. I love the objects connected to prayer to also be connected to family and friends. I am developing this space. It is not in a quiet place, being that our house is small and it is the front room, but we do not have a computer, television or radio here. I would love to have one of those hanging vigil light...maybe by the end of the book club, I will have more to show.

Isn't this detail of Mary in the Ascension icon amazing? I love how all of the apostles are so upset, twisting their heads upwards, not looking forward, but the Theotokos is serene, wise and peaceful. It is interesting that the men do not have halos of light yet while the angels and Mary do. This icon was painted on glass in reverse. The method is the opposite from traditional icons on wood. The artist paints the details first and then the larger blocks of color. I watched the artist make this icon; it is very meaningful

Almighty & eternal God,who created us in Thy image& bade us to seek after all that is good, true & beautiful,especially in the divine person of Thy Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, grant, we beseech Thee, that, through the intercession of Saint Isidore, Bishop & Doctor,during our journeys through the Internetwe will direct our hands & eyes only to that which is pleasing to Thee& treat with charity & patience all those souls whom we encounter.Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, thou didst promise to abide with us always. Thou dost call all Christians to draw near and partake of Thy Body and Blood. But our sin has divided us and we have no power to partake of Thy Holy Eucharist together. We confess this our sin and we pray Thee, forgive us and help us to serve the ways of reconciliation, according to Thy Will. Kindle our hearts with the fire of the Holy Spirit. Give us the spirit of Wisdom and faith, of daring and of patience, of humility and firmness, of love and of repentance, through the prayers of the most blessed Mother of God and of all the saints. Amen. – Fr Sergius Bulgakov

O Merciful Lord Jesus, Our Savior, hear the prayers and petitions of Your unworthy sinful servants who humbly call upon You and make us all to be one in Your one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church. Flood our souls with Your unquenchable light. Put an end to religious disagreements, and grant that we Your disciples and Your beloved children may all worship You with a single heart and voice. Fulfill quickly, O grace-giving Lord, your promise that there shall be one flock and one Divine Shepherd of Your Church; and may we be made worthy to glorify Your Holy Name now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. – Bl. Leonid Fedorov

It is too true that I who write about the devout life am not myself devout, but most certainly I am not without the wish to become so, and it is this wish which encourages me to teach you. A notable literary man has said that a good way to learn is to study, a better to listen, and the best to teach. And Saint Augustine, writing to the devout Flora, says, that giving is a claim to receive, and teaching a way to learn. -St. Francis de Sales